Sunday, 10 August 2025

vanDeStreek Playground IPA - YES


Had this one at a birthday party. Really complex hops going on. Very nice.

Below Brew Wild Juice Chase 0.5% - Yes

Very nice hoppy fruit flavours not over powering and pleasingly bitter. 

Jupiler 0.0% - yes

Another beer that tastes uncomplicatedly like beer. Satisfying bitter hop aftertaste.  250ml is small...

Athletic Pale Ale 0.5% - yes

 Beer that tastes like beer!  Very simple and convincing. Hooray!

Saturday, 9 August 2025

La Trappe 0.0% - yes

Somehow I forgot to take a picture of this bottle. It was the second best AFB I tasted today and I didn't take a picture of the other bottle either. From memory it's not so different to La Chouffe or indeed Leffe 0.0% so it's a yes by default I guess.

Northern Monk - Holy Faith - Maybe

Another hazy IPA with a fairly limited flavour  Not unpleasant but not one to rush back to either.

Drop Bear Bonfire Stout 0.5% - YES

Absolutely an experience. I wish to repeat proper treacle toffee taste and good mouth feel.

beavertown laser crush 0.3% -No

Terribly wishy-washy,  probably my least favourite so far.

Jump/Ship Jackstaff IPA - Maybe


As time goes on, I'm starting to get a little more fussy about which near beers I'd want to repeat. This is a fairly plain IPA. Perhaps a little light on mouth feel. Innocuous.

Sunday, 3 August 2025

Electric Bear Unruly 0.5% -YES

Not from Dry drinker (and neither is my bloody refund yet) but accompanying lunch at the Sheep and Penguin. Looks like it might be a collaboration.
A very tasty pale with good mouth feel and balanced sweetness, accompanying the good range of bitter citrus from the hops selected.  Very much a yes. 

la Chouffe 0.4% - Yes

Surprisingly Chouffey! A little thinner, but still very good.

Saturday, 2 August 2025

Jump/Ship Steamboat Hazy Pale Ale 0.5% - Yes (just)

Mildly tropical once a little warmer than fridge temperature. Not much aroma, given the reasonable amount of up front flavour. Lemon rather than grapefruit lingers. It gets a yes but it's borderline.

Adnams Ghost Ship 0.5% - Maybe

Quite ordinary, lacking a little sugar in the palate to match the ale colour, not particularly strong hop flavours, but prefer to commercial lager for sure.